A Spinster's Awakening (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 2)

“Go on,” she prompted when he didn’t immediately tell her.

“Unfortunately, given the nature of the crimes we are dealing with, you have to be guarded now. If the culprit finds out you have helped us, and we lose him, you are in significant danger. While there is an unwritten benefit to helping us out because we offer our helpers absolute protection, you still need to be extremely careful. Aaron and Jasper have escorted the ladies home tonight, so they are completely safe. The ladies just don’t know it, and aren’t to be told,” Angus whispered. “Unfortunately, our presence will also cause you problems. So long as you don’t behave out of character, start to ask too many questions, or try to get yourselves involved in our investigation, nobody should notice anything untoward and you will be completely safe. However, because we cannot guarantee your safety, you have to do everything possible to stay out of danger.”

He had absolutely no idea why they were having such a hushed conversation. There was only the two of them in the house – alone – together. Nobody else was likely to interrupt them or be able to overhear what was being said. Even so, Angus refused to raise his voice. He had watched Charity slide the bolt on the front door closed and had secured the back door himself. Still, there was an air of intimacy, a strange sort of invisible bond he suspected any hint of loudness would shatter instantly. He didn’t want to damage it – not least because he needed Charity to be on his side and work with him.

She is, after all, my hostess. I must remember that, he warned himself.

While those thoughts echoed in the darker recesses of his mind, he couldn’t prevent his appreciative gaze from falling to her succulent lips which glistened teasingly in the moonlight. He knew venturing anywhere near this young woman would be a very bad idea, to his peace of mind, his libido, and his concentration. The last thing he needed was to be embroiled in even the suggestion of a dalliance with a spinster he had no choice but to leave behind when it was time for the Star Elite to move on, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t leave her with a smile on her face, confident in the knowledge that she was a very attractive woman.

“How old are you by the way?” he murmured suddenly.

Charity clutched her clothing tighter. It formed a physical barrier between her and the man before her that was somewhat reassuring.

“Six and twenty,” she whispered.

She waited for the inevitable question, and not for the first time in her life, felt shamed for having never married. When he didn’t speak, she ventured a closer look at him.

“Well, I have work to be doing,” Angus growled. He side-stepped around her and looked at the room. “Is there anything else you are going to need for tonight?”

Charity wondered what was going through his mind. He had changed suddenly. It was just as though somebody had struck a match and lit something within him that had turned on the cold, aloof investigator. Gone was the man whose voice had been soft and gentle only moments ago. It was such a swift change that Charity turned her attention to the room to stave off the questions she wanted to ask.

“I can fetch them in the morning if there is,” she replied.

“There are going to be three men on watch. Aaron, whom you have already met, and Jasper whom you said hello to outside, and me,” Angus informed her briskly.

“Fine,” Charity replied, unsure what else she could say.

“Please don’t light a candle,” Angus growled when Charity moved to the candle resting on the small table beside her bed.

“Why?”

“Because I need it dark in here, otherwise he will see me,” Angus growled around a heavy sigh.

“I was only asking,” Charity retorted crisply.

Despite his warning,

Charity wandered over to the window and looked outside. The street was dark and eerily empty. A thin haze hung over each darkened abode which skulked about on either side of the narrow, cobbled road as though waiting to pounce on the unwary. She was suddenly very glad she was in the warmth of her comfortable home, and not outside.

Angus followed her across the room. He stood far too close to her and met her gaze with a look of warning when she glanced over her shoulder at him. Quietly, he edged the shutter closed, but only partially blocked her view of the house opposite she had been trying hard not to stare at.

He couldn’t close the shutter completely like he wanted because it would be odd for it to be opened again in the middle of the night. It was ridiculous to have to explain it to her, though, not least because he suspected she would argue with him about that as well.

“Do you want to be any more blatant?” he murmured quietly. There was a hint of warning in his tone that was unmistakable – well, to him anyway.

“Nobody will think it odd that I wish to stare out of my own window,” she replied. “I do have window seats, you know.”

Angus tipped his head to one side as he studied her. He knew she was aware of him. He had witnessed that tell-tale shiver of awareness she had been unable to hide when he had touched her earlier. It was clear that whatever it was that shimmered between them was a mutual thing, and not just his imagination. It was something he had to continue to ignore, though, and because of that he had to do everything in his power to stop her coming into the room while the Star Elite were in the house.

“Look!” Without thinking, Charity suddenly grabbed the front of Angus’s shirt and hauled him to the place where she stood.

Their bodies slammed together. He became unbalanced and had no choice but to put a steadying hand on her waist. He glared at her – or tried to. It was difficult when his body suddenly felt as though it was on fire. Every fibre of his being suddenly snapped to attention and became locked firmly upon her, their closeness, the delicious scent of honeysuckle that teased his nose, and the delightfully tantalising curves pressed so innocently against him.

God, I should be shot for the thoughts I am having.

Angus was snapped out of his revere by her persistent command that he should look at what she as pointing at. The frustration rife in her voice, and in the angry glint in her eye, was enough to force him to turn his attention away from the feel of her curvy backside against him to the scene outside. When he did, he mentally cursed because he only just managed to see a darkly garbed figure dart furtively out of the shadows.

Charity, oblivious to his thoughts, was too busy watching the hooded figure scurry down the road to even notice that Angus had barely looked up.